Srpska Republika News Agency (SRNA), 98-02-10

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From: The Serbian Unity Congress Server at http://www.suc.org

FEBRUARY, 10 1998 DAY

NEWS REVIEW, REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

VIENNA - The president of RS Government Milorad Dodik, in the framework of an official visit of Delegation of the Government to Austria, served as a witness before members of the Arbitration Commission . Arrival of RS president Biljana Plavsic, who is supposed to attend a meeting of the International Arbitration Commission of inter-entity boundary line (IEBL) in the region of Brcko, is also being anticipated. Great attention has been paid to yesterday's talks between the president Plavsic and Prime Minister Dodik held in Paris, i. e. Vienna, especially to conclusions that the Dayton Peace Accord and its implementation were - reality in RS and whole B&H, and especially great publicity has been raised by the lecture given by Mrs. Plavsic at the French Institute for International Relations in Paris at theme "RS after parliamentary election".

VIENNA - Continuation of the session of the Arbitration Tribunal for status of the region of Brcko, presided by Roberts Owen, is in progress in Vienna. Status of displaced persons, right of refugees to return and, in that context, Sarajevo Declaration especially, have been discussed at the meeting. RS representatives, who are begging to witness before the Arbitration Tribunal today, expressed satisfaction with this session, believing they have much stronger arguments than FB&H members. They are backing up their optimism with the fact that they have observed all regulations of the Dayton Peace Accord and directives of the supervisor Robert Farrand concerning multi-ethnic authority, judiciary and police in Brcko.

AMSTERDAM - Dutch press claims that a final decision concerning the part of IEBL in the region of Brcko will not be reached even in March, assessing that the fate of Brcko will directly depend on return of Serbs to the federal part of Sarajevo. A paper "Parol" thinks that Brcko could be put under joint jurisdiction, because of the current political situation in B&H and wish of the international community not to arose anybody's anger. "Parol" assesses that "it is very hard to hit two completely opposed targets - territorial unity of RS and for B&H to gain access to network of European waterways through the port of Brcko".

SARAJEVO - B&H Council of Ministers is supposed to consider Draft of Budget of Joint B&H Institutions and the Law on Foreign Investments at a session which will be held in the National Museum in the federal part of Sarajevo. Implementation of the Law on Council of Ministers, discussing the Rule Book, systematisation of ministries and setting of common location are on an agenda of the session.

SARAJEVO - Special Representative of UN Secretary General Elizabeth Rehn met members of a Protestant Board of citizens of Srpsko Sarajevo and informed them that she would inform the chiefs of UN mission in B&H with their requirement for releasing of Goran Vasic from a prison in Sarajevo. Though she could not promise realising of demands of the Protest Board, Mrs. Rehn expressed wish to help, emphasising that "everybody's goal should be securing of freedom of movement".

NIS - UNHCR will proclaim 40 towns in B&H as open ones, where absolute security will be guaranteed for returnees - stated in Nis the spokesman of this humanitarian organisation in Kraljevo Mons Niberg after a meeting with representatives of humanitarian organisations from eastern Serbia. He emphasised that expected results could be attained only by organised return of refugees to Croatia and B&H, along with respecting of human rights and full safety for people who were returning homes.

BRATUNAC - RS Minister for Refugees and Displaced Persons Miladin Dragicevic promised in Bratunac a concrete help for getting settled refugees, especially the ones who were in refugees shelters in the region of this municipality. According to him, every municipality should make possible allotting of lots for the refugees, putting an additional story on the buildings with flat roofs and readying of deserted state buildings for occupancy, for which the international community would provide with means.

BIJELJINA - Commenting of verifying of mandate for five board members of Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) in the Municipal Assembly (SO) of Bijeljina, who have joint Serbian National Union (SNS), the director of OSCE Regional Centre in Sokolac Rolf Van Ue said that the right on mandate is related to a board member, and not a party. He reminded that mandates for most of the board members have been approved at the last session of SO, because representatives of the international community have insisted on that, and assessed that it has been legal.

VISEGRAD - Board members of Coalition for Complete and Democratic B&H in SO of Visegrad will get three seats in the Executive Board (IO) and the seat of the president of SO - has been agreed at a session of IO SO of Visegrad. After considering of demands of representatives of the international community to include members of the Coalition in the division of municipal authority too, members of IO agreed that the Coalition should participate in work of all municipal commissions.

SARAJEVO - FB&H president Ejup Ganic assessed the newest constituting of a department of the Main Council of Croatian Union of Herzeg-Bosna as a very bad sign for Muslim-Croatian entity - reported a radio in the federal part of Sarajevo. "It is against the Dayton Peace Accord and will slow down positive tendencies in FB&H" - said Ganic and added that the newest moves of representatives of Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) are weakening FB&H from inside, with which the International Contact Group should deal immediately.

VIENNA - RS Premier Milorad Dodik confirmed that during a meeting with high Austrian officials and economists held in Vienna series of concrete activities, which would be realised in the following period, have been agreed. Expressing satisfaction with results of the visit to Vienna, RS Prime Minister said that all issues relevant for implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord, as well as bilateral relations between Austria and RS, have been discussed.

ROME - French president Jacques Chirac stated in Paris that France was ready to "support and encourage moderate forces in RS in a crucial moment for peace in B&H". Chirac have promised this during a meeting with RS president Biljana Plavsic, for whom, underlines an Italian agency, he organised reception anticipated for all chiefs of states. ANSA informs that religious leaders from B&H had a meeting yesterday in Brussels with Hans van den Bruck , the one in charge for EU Foreign Affairs, and NATO Secretary General Javier Solana too.

ATHENS - Greek "Radio 902" assessed the visit of RS president to France and Prime Minister Milorad Dodik to Germany and Austria as " too late, but inevitable recognition of RS". According to statement of this Radio, meetings at the highest level held in Paris, Bonn and Vienna have opened doors of Europe and the world for RS, which is finally going to see daylight.

BANJALUKA - Vice-president of Party of Independent Socialdemocrats (SNSD) Branko Dokic stated in Banjaluka that results of the new RS Government were impressing. Dokic said that in a very short time Dodik have visited two foreign countries and reached very useful agreements for faster recovery of RS, as well as for faster implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord in these regions.

BRCKO - Muslim representatives at a session of the Arbitration Tribunal for Brcko held in Bijeljina withdrew a demand for this town to be within B&H Federation (FB&H) and are asking for this region to be organised as a district, since RS has incomparably stronger arguments - stated the mayor of Brcko Borko Reljic. In a telephone statement for Serbian radio he said that "the fact that RS has fulfilled all demands of Temporary Arbitration Decision in the last year and that Muslims would gladly wish for Brcko to be excluded from RS and put under international management is indisputable".

BANJALUKA - City Board of SDS (GO SDS) of Banjaluka anticipates that the Arbitration Commission in Vienna " will act in accordance with Geneve Agreement and Dayton Peace Accord and finally and permanently leave Brcko to RS". In a public announcement RS representatives in B&H joint organs and RS Government were appealed to "more constructively cooperate on all issues important for the future of RS and Serbian people".

SARAJEVO - Prosecutor's office of the International War Crimes Tribunal in Hague received an official indictment of Goran Vasic, a Serb who has been arrested by Muslim police on IEBL in Sarajevo on February 6 under suspicion that in 1993 he killed Hakija Turajlic, the vice-president of a former Muslim Government. This has been stated by UN spokesman Alexander Ivanko in the federal part of Sarajevo today. He said that, if the event from 1993 was assessed as a war crime by the Tribunal, "an action at national level will probably be taken."

SARAJEVO - Protestant gathering of citizens of Srpsko Sarajevo because of arresting of Goran Vasic has been continued on IEBL in Dobrinja IV, where as a sign of protest because of intrusion of the federal police into RS territory, they will begin symbolic building of a wall from cement blocks. In IPTF station in Bijelo Polje it has been announced that IPTF would try to hand over Vasic to the Tribunal in Hague.

BANJALUKA - IPTF spokesman for region of Banjaluka and Bihac Allun Roberts expressed "concern because of using of force by Muslim civilians on the occasion of the recent arrest of Goran Vasic on IEBL in Sarajevo". Roberts emphasised in Banjaluka that "the civilians armed with long barrels, against rules on work of police, have knocked Vasic down, because of which IPTF filed a protest to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Canton of Sarajevo" .Roberts also promised that UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for Bosnia and Herzegovina Elizabeth Rehn will also take part in this case , while IPTF would supervise Vasic's stay in a prison in Sarajevo.

AMSTERDAM - World Bank estimated that 357 millions of US $ in credits are needed for the renewal and reconstruction of RS and FB&H, i.e. of 16 priority sectors - is said in a financial report of this bank made for state donors. Sixty millions of dollars have been intended for rebuilding of houses and flats, and part of that amount was provided by Saudi Arabia (20 millions), European Commission (6.4) and World Bank (15 millions). Fifty millions of dollars are necessary for the urgent rebuilding of B&H industry, for which the World Bank will give 10, and Swiss Bank 7 millions of dollars.

BONN - German chief of diplomacy Claus Kinkel will visit Banjaluka on February 16, where he will have talks with RS president Biljana Plavsic, Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and religious dignitaries. German official sources have announced more active role of Bonn in order for RS to get 30% of 1,1 billions of DM, which were promised by world's donors to B&H.

BANJALUKA - Managing Board of Association of RS journalists thinks that the International Community High Representative for B&H Carlos Westendorp should give up the idea of appointing a supervisor for Serbian Radio Television (SRT). Reminding that the idea was formed in a different political atmosphere, the Managing Board is asking in an announcement for the new Government and Information Ministry to be given a chance and time to achieve their intentions for media to work for the sake of public.

SARAJEVO - The joint session of the Military Committee will be held in the National Museum in the federal part of Sarajevo at 11,00 am, SRNA learns in Republican protocol. There are no data about an agenda of the session.

SRPSKO GORAZDE - Several hundreds of Muslims from Gorazde have tried to lynch Borislav Carapic and Dragan Vukovic from Srpsko Gorazde, who have been visiting their former hometown. According to Carapic and Vukovic, they went because of simple curiosity to Gorazde, which is since recently being considered as an open town. "We dropped by to a cafe in front of the City Hall and when we went out on invitation of the federal police, we found a demolished vehicle of Carapic, while more than 500 Muslims have being asking for us to be lynched" - said Vukovic, who has been escorted by the federal police and IPTF to Srpsko Gorazde, together with Carapic.

SARAJEVO - Bodies of ten Muslim civilians have been excavated in a village of Tulica near Kiseljak from a massive tomb, in the Croats-controlled region, stated the Commission on Missing Persons from the federal part of Sarajevo. By testimonies it has been established that the victims were killed by members of Croatian Council of Defence (HVO) on June 12 in 1993, when they had occupied the village. Remained inhabitants of Tulica have escaped, so the village is abandoned today.

SARAJEVO - The president of Independent Syndicate of FB&H Sulejman Hrle warned that workers of Muslim nationality in Canton of Herzegovina and Neretva have been deprived of the right to work - reported a radio in the federal part of Sarajevo. Hrle asked the Chief of Regional OHR for B&H Martin Gerrod for the workers to be returned to their jobs in Croats- controlled enterprises, who were "dismissed from their jobs for ethnic reasons".

/end/

From the Serbian Unity Congress Server at http://www.suc.org

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